


The Diamond Affair

by aramisinaskirt (SilverMillennium_QueenNeptune)



Series: Musketeer March 2021 [10]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: BAMF d'Artagnan (Trois Mousquetaires), Episode: s03e04 The Queen’s Diamonds, Gen, Horses, Musketeer March 2021
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-19 00:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29991285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverMillennium_QueenNeptune/pseuds/aramisinaskirt
Summary: For all of their training, Aramis, Athos and Porthos have no clue when it comes to a horse. Fortunately, a farm boy from Gascony can show them all up.
Relationships: Aramis | René d'Herblay & d'Artagnan & Athos | Comte de la Fère & Porthos du Vallon
Series: Musketeer March 2021 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2190600
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16





	The Diamond Affair

**Author's Note:**

  * For [privateerwrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/privateerwrites/gifts).



> Based on the prompt "Horses" from [ this list](https://privateerstudies.tumblr.com/post/643477557598142464/musketeer-march)

D’Artagnan stood against a tree, watching his brothers and trying not to laugh. The day had begun innocently enough, but all of that had changed, and now they were trying to rope a very beautiful horse with diamonds braided into her tail. In any other circumstance, he might have thought of the idea as smart; he’d seen plenty of things woven into the manes or tails of horses, and this one was quite magnificent. Of course, diamonds were the perfect way to highlight this lovely creature.

Unfortunately, the diamonds were also stolen. D’Artagnan couldn’t blame the thieves; it was a clever way to hide their bounty in plain sight. No one would be any the wiser unless they looked closely, and even then, they would assume that the jewels belonged to the horse’s owner. No questions raised or suspicious glances.  
  
He could not believe how terrified all of his comrades looked. They were normally so calm on horses. Surely this one animal was not going to pose a problem for them. He did not want to look like a show off, so he kept quiet. When they gave up and needed his help, he would be there. He decided, for now, to stand back and study the beast. She had clearly been pampered and well fed. Her coat was shiny. This was a magnificent specimen of an animal. The boys needed more experience with horses. They were limited to riding and mucking out stalls.

 _For men who spend most of our time on horses, the others clearly seem skittish around one.They have no idea how to handle her._ ,he mused, a quiet chuckle escaping his lips as Aramis grunted in frustration and removed his coat. He was making quite the effort. If only he had as much of a way with a horse as he did with the ladies. Then, this whole ordeal would be over in no time at all. He knew that the horse was probably more afraid of them than they were of her. That was why he had not planned to intervene. He’d spent many years on and around horses. He loved caring for them and watching them; developing enough trust with one so that he could ride it took time. It was a process, and so it would be for the boys to get Serena to trust them.

It wasn’t their fault that they had not expected Serena to be a horse. In truth, he had not expected Serena to be a horse. No one could have seen this coming. That was perhaps what made him laugh more than anything else about the situation. It all seemed so ridiculous. But these were a queen’s diamonds. He was a Musketeer, here on the orders of the King.

 _To retrieve diamonds from the tail of a horse with the help of a man who is as unscrupulous as they come._ Bonnaire was a liar, a criminal and a con artist. Why were they really helping him? He turned his attention back to Serena, chuckling quietly as the others moved around her in vain attempts to keep her calm. They were doing it all wrong, of course. But who was he to judge. He was still the least experienced Musketeer of the group, although he could boast that he knew the most about horses when compared to a majority of the Garrison.

This was when the fun commenced. For d’Artagnan, watching the men he now called brothers so unequipped to deal with a simple horse was perhaps the most humorous thing he could have witnessed. Did they know nothing of such creatures? Leaning against a tree, he folded his arms. This would indeed be interesting to see. Serena began to huff and whinny at them in fright. Athos, who had tried to calm her, quickly and quietly stumbled back as Bonnaire went on about how lovely the horse was. Porthos made an attempt to circle Serena, and get to her tail. Her circling and frightened cries had managed to jostle even Aramis’s nerves.

“Whoa!”

“Shh-sh! Easy.”, admonished Athos.

“D’Artagnan, thanks for helpin’ us out!”, exclaimed Porthos. Emile was clearly coming up with an idea. No one had asked for d’Artagnan’s assistance yet, so he said nothing. Porthos would be furious with him for it later, bur it was a matter of their pride, They did, after all, have far more experience than he.

He began to wonder what the endgame was, and how long he could let this go on before he needed to step in. If he did, it would be over in mere moments. He was busy trying to forget the embarrassment he’d felt before realizing that Serena was an animal. He had, of course, made the mistake of flirting with the women in the house, assuming that one of the girls might be Serena. How embarrassed he had been to discover that Serena was a horse. Watching them play at taming the feisty creature was entertaining for him. After being so embarrassed, he needed the break. Their expressions were priceless.

 _They have no idea what they’re doing. But this is fun._ ,he thought. He was going to help, eventually. But they would have to ask him first. At this rate, they would be here all day.

“All right. All right, oi!”

“All right,” Aramis waved his arms to move Bonnaire into place. “Get its’ head that way. . . And I’ll get the tail.”

“Right.”

“I loathe this horse.”, grumbled Porthos as he gathered himself to try again. In pure annoyance, Athos turned to the best marksman of the group.

“Aramis.”

“Hm?”

“Shoot the horse.”

“Serena?”, he questioned, still gasping a little. The exercise of chasing the animal had winded him. He shook his head.

“Yeah.”

“No."

“Huh?”

“No shooting a horse.” Athos pulled his own weapon, tired and ready to get the entire affair over with. Serena’s dark eyes were sad as she gazed at him.

“Athos.”, Aramis’ tone was forlorn, but gentle. Porthos, too, was shocked by the choice. Unable to take any more, d’Artagnan stepped up at last. Enough of this. As his brothers panted and heaved, d’Artagnan made a quick motion. It was time to show his friends how to properly rope a frightened horse.

“Wait. Give me the rope. Shame on you, shooting a horse, Athos.” While the others took small sips of refreshment, d’Artagnan approached Serena and gently whirled the rope in his hands.

“Be careful, d’Artagnan.”, someone offered, but he shushed them.

“Trust me, I used to be a farmer.” He walked to Serena, who was now peacefully nibbling on grass in the field, and made soft noises to keep her calm as he placed the rope around her. With the feat accomplished, he bowed, and Serena followed suit, ducking her head. Aramis scoffed, hands on his hips. Porthos and Emile coughed incredulously. What had just happened?

“You coulda done that before.” He could not believe what he was seeing, they had all been outsmarted by a horse. What was worse, they had been outdone by a farm boy from Gascony!

“Oh, of course. But where’s the fun in that?” d’Artagnan was so smug that Aramis had to chuckle, as Athos ordered Bonnaire to recover the diamonds. All the while, d’Artagnan kept the beast calm.

“Me?”, Bonnaire was stunned. “I—.”

“Well aren’t you the fearless highwayman?”, Aramis teased, hands on his hips.

“Yes, yes, I suppose I am.” In an effort to prove himself he threw down his rope, he asked for a sword. Aramis promptly provided one.

“Yes, well, I suppose the horse’s tail will just grow back, won’t it.”

“Your head won’t if you try anything.”, Porthos threatened. Bonnaire made shy work of cutting the braid, and then paused to have a little fun with the blade. Before he could manage, Bonnaire’s face connected with Porthos’ fist. By the time the whole affair was done, Porthos had tossed the diamonds, Bonnaire was on his way back to England in a surprise twist, and d’Artagnan had proved that he was never, ever to be underestimated when it came to a horse.


End file.
